Bell hails second-half improvement despite late equaliser

Crewe boss Lee Bell preferred to praise his side’s second-half performance rather than celebrate the result after a stoppage-time goal from Crawley’s Ben Gladwin robbed him of only a second win in charge.

The Alex, who fell behind to a first-half own goal by captain Luke Offord, turned the game around when striker Daniel Agyei scored twice in a fast start to the second half.

Crewe were reduced to 10 men five minutes from time when defender Sean Robertson picked up his second booking and Crawley took advantage in the seventh minute of stoppage time when captain Gladwin rifled his first goal for the club to make it 2-2.

Bell admitted: “It’s gutting to concede so late and although I’m not celebrating the result, I am praising the performance in the second half.

“The changes we made at half-time really helped us and it meant we got up the pitch an extra five yards.

“The game plan would have been okay if we had got a goal on the counter, but the second-half performance was really pleasing.”

Bell, who has seen his side win only one of 10 games under him, was encouraged that they scored two goals in a game for the first time in 28 outings.

He added: “It’s something we must take into Tuesday’s home game against Hartlepool.”

Bell felt Robertson was unfortunate to be red-carded when “there wasn’t a challenge in the game that warranted a sending-off”.

Crawley boss Scott Lindsey admitted his side “became anxious” when they were leading 1-0 at half-time, and the players were still being affected by what has a traumatic season with three different permanent managers having been in charge.

He said: “I have told the players that it is a clean slate, but anxiousness based on what what has happened before is affecting them. It is the mental shift that is important.

“My general feeling is one of disappointment as we were very good in the first half and needed to score more when on top. We need to make more of the good positions we get into.”

Lindsey was full of praise for former Swindon midfielder Gladwin, who opened his account for the club with the last-gasp leveller.

Lindsey, who wasted no time in making Gladwin captain, enthused: “He was a cut above the rest and should have two goals at Gillingham.

“It’s great that he has now got off the mark and he scored with an unbelievable finish to give us something from the game.”